72 THE BALTIMORE ORIOLE. 



persecuted by the black snake, which, in spite of his 

 strident clamour, invades the nest, and devours the eggs or 

 the young. 



Whatever we may think of the industry displayed by 

 the woodpecker in making for himself a home, it must be 

 admitted that in ingenuity he is surpassed by the Balti- 

 more Oriole, — a summer visitor to the United States, 

 which receives his specific name from his black and orange 

 plumage ; black and orange having been the colours of 

 Lord Baltimore, the founder of the colony of Maryland. 

 He is also known as the Fire-bird, and the Golden Kobin. 

 Thus, in Longfellow's poem of "Autumn" we read : — 



" Through the trees 

 The golden robin moves." 



The beautiful nest of this bird is composed of fibrous 

 materials, strongly and neatly interwoven, and suspended 

 to the pliant extremities of the branches of trees. Select- 

 ing a couple of flexible boughs, at a considerable height 

 from the ground, the oriole fastens around them strong 

 strings of hemp or flax, and then proceeds to weave a 

 pouch of similar materials, interwoven into a kind of coarse 

 cloth. Tliis pouch, wlj|ich is six or seven inches deep, is 

 lined with soft substances, worked into the outer texture ; 

 and the whole is finished ofi* mth a layer of horse-hair. 

 The opening at the top of the nest is either furnished with 

 a horizontal lid or flap, or sufiiciently protected by the 

 overhanging leaves. AYlien busied in the construction of 

 their nests, the ingenious little weavers will appropriate to 



